Water saddle



July 14, 1959 Filed Oct. 9, 1956 A. G. MANTHOS 2,894,270

WATER SADDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Al/ee 6. Man fhos INVENTOR.

Y (Wang 3% July 14, 1959 Filed Oct. 9, 1956 Fig.4

A. G. MANTHOS WATER SADDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

Atlas 6. Manthas INVENTOR.

yfizmmian.

WATER SADDLE Atlee G. Manthos, Arlington Heights, Ill.

Application October 9, 1956, Serial No. 614,950 4 Claims. or. 9-11 This invention relates to a water saddle and more particularly to novel flotation equipment designed to carry a person in water while allowing the persons legs to pass through the deck of the flotation equipment in order to allow the person to use his legs for self-propulsion.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a water saddle which will allow the user to employ his legs for purposes of propulsion or which may be readily utilized as a boat, with the occupant thereof completely out of the water.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an item of flotation equipment which is adapted to be utilized in combination with various means of propulsion, including devices adapted to be secured about the legs of a person or to the foot of a person, especially those wearing shoes.

The construction of this invention features the utilization of an inflated, compartmented device having a deck provided with openings therethrough through which the legs of the occupant can pass. There is utilized in the invention a rolled section of waterproof flexible material which is designed to be rolled across the openings when it is desired to utilize the invention as a boat.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a water saddle that is simple in construction, capable of being produced in any suitable size, which is light in weight, and which can be folded to a very small compass when not in use.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this water saddle, a preferred embodiment thereof, together with embodiments of the propelling devices being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view as taken along the plane of line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a swimming aid adapted to be utilized in conjunction with the water saddle and which is designed to be strapped about the leg of an occupant of the water saddle;

Figure 5 is another plan view looking at the reverse side of the swimming aid from that shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the swimming aid;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified form of swimming aid;

Figure 8 is another plan view of the swimming aid shown in Figure 7, but looking at the reverse side thereof;

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the swimming aid shown in Figures 7 and 8;

Figure 10 is a plan view of another form of swimming aid adapted to be secured to the foot of the user;

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the footmounted swimming aid;

2,894,27 0 Patented July 14, 1959 form of the swimming aid.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial atten tion directed to the embodiments of the water saddle shown in Figures 1 through 3, reference numeral 20 is used to generally designate the water saddle which includes an inflatable, compartmented member 22 formed of any suitable material, such as rubberized fabric, plastics, rubber, or other suitable waterproof and inflatable material, which may be divided into any suitable number of cells and inflated through suitable valve openings, as at 24 and 26. The inflatable member 22 is so configurated as to form a deck 28, and the deck 28 is perforated by two openings 30 and 32 therein. It is noted especially that the deck 28 is formed by the configuration of the inflatable member 22, and the level thereof is slightly above half the height of the entire inflatable member 22, thus being spaced from both the top and bottom thereof.

Secured to the deck 28 is a sheet of waterproof flexible material, such as any of the synthetic plastics, rubberized fabric, rubber or the like, as indicated at 36, which is adapted to overlie and cover the openings 30 and 32. It is noted that the leg well cover 36 is fastened immediately forward of the front edge of the leg wells and is of suflicient width, so that when. it is rolled back over the leg wells, the cover covers the leg wells and extends up the walls to the top of the water saddle to insure an effective bottom. This requires that the ends of the rolled-up leg well cover 36 are folded or crumpled in the rolled-up position.

A pair of handles 38 and 40 are secured to the upper surface of the member 22 and a pair of shoulder straps 42 and 44 are also secured to the member 22. These shoulder straps have the end portions thereof provided with a plurality of rings or snap fasteners or the like as indicated at 48 for the purpose of providing means for effectively tying supplies and other aids to survival as may be desired onto the water saddle.

Bonded or otherwise aifixed to the forward end of the water saddle 20 is a mast well 52 in which a mast may be seated. The brass rings 48 or the like may be utilized for tying sail lines when a mast and sail are utilized.

Journaled in a tube 54 provided in the stem end of the water saddle is a rudder shaft 56 on which a rudder 58 is mounted, as well as a manually operable tiller 60.

In use, after inserting his legs in the openings 30 and 32 and by utilizing his legs and swimming aids to be hereinafter described, means for self-propulsion is thus provided. In lieu, when it is desired to utilize the water sadtile as a boat, the flexible sheet 36 can be rolled back to cover the openings 30 and 32, and with the occupant seating on the free end of the well cover 36, he can allow the boat to be propelled, utilizing sail, a paddle or the like, with the tiller 69 being provided for steering th boat.

In Figures 4 through 6 there is shown a first form of swimming aid designed to be utilized in conjunction with the water saddle, or separately, as desired. This swimming aid includes an inner plate 70 of substantially V- shaped cross section having wing plates 72 and 74 hingedly secured thereto, as at 76 and 7 8?. The hinges 76 and 78 are of the type as to prevent any further forward motion of the wing plates 72 and 74 in the direction of the straps 80 and 82 which are provided for securing the device to the leg of the user. However, when the foot of the user is dragged forwardly through the water, the wing plates 72 and 74 will fold backwardly. The straps and 82 are secured to the inner plate 70, as are suit able cushions of foam rubber or the like as at 84 and 86.

In Figures 7 through 9 there is shown a modified form of swimming aid adapted to be attached to, the leg of .the user. "This swimming aid includes a member 90.. of are- .silientvmaterial, such as rubber or the like, thoughsuch may be readily made out of synthetic plastic materials, which has bonded thereto suitable straps191adapted to be secured about the leg of the user. .The member is provided with a thickened central portion 92 and rearwardly diverging flap portions 94 and 96 which are of a tapering configuration and are more flexible at the ends than at the central portions. Inasmuch as the member 90 nor mally tapers and is directed rearwardly, the straps 91 being fastened aboutthe foot of the user, the end portions 9.4,and :96 will fold rearwardly when the leg of the user .is moved forwardly to thus decrease water resistance. ,However, upon rearward motion of the foot, the flaps or wing portions 94 and 96 will be spread outwardly, pro- -.viding increased surface area for increased propulsion.

ln Figures lOthrough 12 there is shown an additional modified form of swimming aid in which there is a socket member 100, including a base 102 having a wall 104 preferably integrally formed with the base and extending from the base 104 is a flap preferably "formed of a resilient material.

This flap will have a hinging action, dependent on the forward or rearward movement of the leg, and in lieu of the resilient flap, there may be provideda hinge mounting 112 which secures aflap 114 to abase 1160f another form of the socket member 118 having straps 120 for attachment to the foot of the user with the heel of his foot inserted in the socket member. Thehinge .112 is of the type that willpermit folding, as shown in the phantomlines of Figure 13, when the foot is moved forwardly through the water. 'However, during .the power stroke when the foot is moved rearwardly, the flap is forced into the position as is shown in'the solid lines of Figure 13, thus providing increased surface area.

This water saddle can also be made of metal, or composition, in a rigid form. In the rigid-model, the leg well waterproof covers would be hinged orsliding rigid plates.

,The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to,'falling within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

*1. A water saddle comprising an inflated compartmented member having a deck formed in the inner portions of said member and having its level abovehalf of the height of said member and below the top of said member, said member having a pair of spaced well openings extending through said deck, and a flexible imperforate waterproof sheet having an end secured to said deck,

said sheet being of a size suflicient to completely overlie said openingsand'said'deck adjacent said openings while enabling an occupant to siton a portion of said sheet remote from said end to secure said sheet adjacent to said deck and openings.

2. A water saddle comprising an inflated compartmented member having a deck formed in the inner portions of said member and having its level above half of the height of said member and below the top of said member, said member having a pair of spaced well openings extending through said deck, and a flexible imperforate waterproof sheethaving an end secured to said deck, said sheet being of a size sufficient to completely overlie said openings and saiddeckadjacent said openings while enabling an occupant to sit on a portion of said sheet remote from said end to secure said sheet adjacent to said deck and openings, a pair of shoulder straps secured to said member in. alignment with said openings.

3. A water saddle comprising an inflated compartmented member having a deck formed in the inner portionsof said member and having its level above half of the height of said member and below the top of said vmember, said member having .a pair of spaced well openings extending through said deck, and a flexible imperforate waterproof sheet having an end secured to said deck, said sheet being of a size sufficient tocompletely overlie said openings and said deckadjacent said openings while enabling an occupant to sit on a portion of said sheet remote from said end to secure said'sheet adjacent to said deck and openings,.a mast well secured to'oneend ofsaid member and a rudder rotatably mounted in the other end of said member.

4. A water saddle comprising an inflated compartmented memberhaving a deck formed in the inner portions of said member and having its level above half of the height of said member and below the top of said-member, said :member having a pair of spaced well openings extending through said deck, and a flexible imperforate waterproof sheet having an end secured to said deck, said sheet being of asize suflicient to completely-overlie said openings and said deck adjacent said openings while enabling .an occupant .to sit on a portionof said sheet remote from saidend to secure said sheet adjacent to said deck and openings, a pairofshoulder straps secured to said member in alignment with said openings, a mast Well secured to oneend of said member and a rudder rotatably mounted in the other end of said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES -PATENTS 299,951 Brown "June 10, 1884 689,085 Hooper Dec. 17, 1901 1,745,280 Snapp Jan. 28, 1930 1,794,883 Corder Mar. 3, 1931 1,824,712 De Noya Sept. 22, 1931 2,124,062 'Grant et. a1. "July 19, 1938 2,133,790 .Scholfield Oct. '18, 1938 2,396,148 Bean Mar. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,769 Great Britain Jan. 28, 1899 In N 

